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| Longwood Gardens, where a Beech helped me to stretch. photo by Margaret Almon |
The woman ducks into the tree. Yes, that is what happened. I was in the land of silence for a day and as I emerged from the Jesuit Center I saw a woman gently move the weeping branches so that she could venture into the tree.
How many times have I not looked closely at this wonderful tree I ask myself? As I walk by the tree, I see the woman has climbed it. I note this as marvelous and keep walking. As I return the woman is emerging from the tree and I am moved to not be silent. I approach her, apologize for my lack of silence, and thank her for introducing me to the tree. It is clear that she loves the tree.
I draw a card for the woman who ducks into trees. I include our business car so that she can connect if she so desires.
The next morning I duck into the tree. Weeks pass.
I got an e-mail from the woman who ducks into trees and it inspired me to put together a set of photos of some trees I have met along the way. Some are at Wernersville (I did not have my camera to take a photo of the weeping tree, but I will be back), many are Dogwoods, but not the one that graced my front yard when I was a child and teen. But Dogwoods surround me. My neighbor's stretches out to me when I walk down my porch steps. At work one is the centerpiece of the largest flower garden my students and I maintain, and at church one greets me whenever I walk down the block.
Feel free to introduce me to a tree. It makes my day more splendid.
